


Language of Flowers

by orphan_account



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Other, Romantic Fluff, Silly Boys, gon is a florist and i love it, kurapika is my genderfluid bby, there's also cursing sorry my hand slipped
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 14:22:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17789033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Based on the prompt: “Person A owns a flower shop and person B comes storming in one day, slaps 20 bucks on the counter and says “How do I passive-aggressively say fuck you in flower?” In which I take my two favorite boys, make one into a florist and the other into a rebellious college kid with a trust fund. Let shenanigans and pretty bouquets ensue! (A small multi-fic I'll be updating once a month, just in time for Valentines Day!)





	Language of Flowers

“What? I don’t believe you.” Gon’s eyebrows nearly raise to his hairline, back turned to his blonde best friend and coworker. His voice giving away the full confusion and shock at their words.

Kurapika shakes their head, dirty blonde hair rustling against their flower shop uniform of a crisp white button down and deep green apron. They lean casually against the open doorway separating flower shop and staff room. “I’m telling you, Gon. Robot operated vacuums and the like of future technology are going to be the fall of mankind.”

One might think it was a pretty sour day, beginning with grey clouds not parting in Yorknew. Added to the fact there was wild downpour of rain outside and it meant that all flowers displayed regularly in front of Mito’s Flower Shop had to be brought in, causing a clutter for the only two people inside. Cluttered flower shop, no customers, a wild anarchistic best friend that would go on tangents about the fall of humankind due to their absolute fear of all things technologically advanced would likely put  _ anyone  _ in a bad mood. But, not Gon Freecs.

No, in fact, it was a beautiful day to him. He always loved the sound of rain, loved even more the scent and color of every flower filling his senses and he was on shift with his best friend. Yeah, it was a perfect day. 

“Kurapika...” Gon laughs, wiping down the white counter below him, used for transactions and even snipping flowers at a customer’s request. “Consider this, what if we could live with them? And not only that, but even have robot automated limbs if we--”

“Sure, if you want to eventually become mind controlled to kill me by said robots.” They shrug their shoulders in perfect nonchalance and Gon has to fight off the incredibly strong urge to burst into laughter, again. His forehead wrinkles and cheeks blow out with the effort.

Gon turns to his best friend with a deep breath, hands hanging onto the edges of the counter behind him. “I think you’re watching a lot of robot movies. Besides, if that did happen, it’d be boring.” He shrugs his broad shoulders, taking in the lanky figure of the person he had known since he was 15. Kurapika was standing with arms crossed, red earrings dangling and they blink deep brown eyes at him before narrowing into slits. 

After all, wasn’t every movie nowadays about robot’s becoming sentient beings that wanted to bring about the destruction of humankind?  _ Where’s the originality!? _

Kurapika raises a finger, poised Gon’s way. “You call it boring now, but when your robot vacuum is trying to eat you--”

_ “Kurapika!”  _ And this time Gon can’t stop laughing at his best friend’s constant insistence.  _ He’s always so paranoid about technology. He won’t even buy the new iPhone! _

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you!” Kurapika’s voice is full of seriousness but it makes Gon roll his eyes. They shrug and step into the staff room, leaving Gon to himself with the flowers and plants.

_ Mito’s Flower Shop _ belonged to Gon’s aunt, even named after her. Mito is the brightest, liveliest and most loving woman Gon’s ever known. She’s had this place long as he could remember and it’s always been his favorite. He knows every plant, every name associated, every meaning even in different cultures, he knows their _ scent. _

It’s peaceful inside Mito’s, always has been. Gon felt at one, here, as if the flower shop  _ was the world _ and it’s certainly always the most welcoming. In high school, after sports and homework he would always come by and help his aunt by cleaning up around the shop or snipping flowers to make them look prettier and last longer. 

Sometimes his aunt would tell him to throw them away when they were close to fading but he’d kept petals in secret, like a treasure. 

There was a particular set of boxes under his bed he’d never let anyone see of dried and forever encapsulated flowers. He felt like they had an understanding, he and the flowers. Gon would take great care for them and they would bloom, bloom, _ bloom.  _

So, after graduating high school when his aunt had asked if he’d like a part time job while going to college, how could he say no? He’d even gotten his best friend Kurapika to join in and Gon’s aunt entrusted them both with the safety and care of her dear store. The place was usually bustling with customers, some days he’d have to stay later than deemed proper to ready future deliveries and the like. 

But, he loved it. He loved the smell, the vibrant colors, the smiles that would greet him when he helped customers. He liked being helpful, liked knowing he could make someone’s dream come true even with a few roses or tulips, carnations and hyacinths. Sometimes he wished he didn’t have to leave.  

The bell above the flower shop door rang, the loud jingling signaling the shop’s first customer of the day. A hooded figure nearly drenched in water ran straight for the counter Gon stood behind. A pale hand shot out and slammed a few bills down. 

“Hello, welcome to--” Gon went over his usual spiel of greeting the customer when a black hood was yanked to unveil silver-white hair.

“Great! Look, I need your help!” Pale skin. Blue eyes. Blinking and insistent with a tone that made Gon worry, slightly.

“Oh, absolutely, sir what--”

“Awesome, how do I passive-aggressively say fuck you in flower?” The voice interrupts him mid-sentence again and it was Gon’s turn to blink. Several times. In a single minute. 

_ Did he..? No way, no way!  _

“I--”

“Well?” The silver haired young man was insistent. Dripping and shivering a little from outside weather but Gon is still confused.

_ “What?” _

Blue eyes roll and a sigh stretches from the young man’s lips. “I’m not sending them to my mother, get that judgemental look off your face!” Eyebrows slightly darker than his hair peek out from under the silver white bangs covering his forehead. 

_ Did he have a judgemental look on his face?! He didn’t mean to! Sure, it was an odd request but Gon would never! _

“Wh--n-no! No, I wasn’t--”

“Dude. Just help me out, will you?” The pale boy placates, sniffling through a pink nose that was stuffed to high heaven.

“Uh, y-yes, sir! Of course, sir!” Gon nods, utterly confused at why someone would request such an odd thing to say. Kind of rude, too.

_ Stop _ , Gon reminded himself,  _ no judgements!  _

Gon wouldn’t make any assumptions. When he thought about it, there were a few flowers that came to mind in the case of _ sticking it to the man _ , so to speak.

“Thanks. So..” The young man squints at Gon’s chest and he realizes it’s due to the name tag pinned to his green apron. “G-G--”

“Gon! Freecs. Gon Freecs!” Gon smiles, bright at the silver haired guy who only quirks a brow in his direction and casts a dubious look. 

“Okay, Gon Freecs. Show me the’ fuck you’ aisle of Mito’s Flower Shop.”

Gon cringes, making his way around the counter, “Uh, well.. I mean, we don’t actually have that kind of an aisle--” He wipes sweaty palms on his apron.

“It was a joke, Gon.” The customer deadpans.

“Right! Well, we have uhh..” Gon began to lead Killua throughout the flower shop, looking behind himself to make sure he was following.  “Did you want a bouquet or..?”

The silver haired man-boy snickers, “Y-yeah. That’d be fucking great.”

Gon nods, stopping in front of deep pink flowers with petals like four leaf clovers. “Okay, well. This is called a geranium and it, in some cultures, symbolizes stupidity an--” He wasn’t quite able to finish the thought that these are also somewhat known for healing properties and he’d used them before to steep into tea.

“Hell yes!” The customer interrupts loudly, blue eyes gleaming and widening in joy.  “Add that. Give me several of those.”

Gon took a few from the long stems and held them gingerly before continuing on with the boy hot on his heels. “Yes, sir. Over here we also have meadowsweet.” His hand reached out, fingers caress a bundle of thin and narrow white mini flowers that housed a yellow center. 

“That’s real pretty.”

“Mhm!” Gon agreed. “It can symbolize uselessness.”

“Perfect! What else have you got?” The customer wears a cat-like grin and Gon purses his lips, slightly afraid of appearing too nosy but he is certainly _ curious. _

“Sir, if you don’t--”

The man-boy sighs, shaking his head. “You can quit calling me sir. My name’s Killua.”

“Killua..” Gon says it slowly, rolling the name over his tongue for pronunciation’s sake. 

“Yeah.”

“Killua, do you mind.. Can I ask--”

Killua’s head tilts, slightly. “You wanna know what this is for?”

“If you don’t-don’t mind.” Gon lets out a breath, smiling at his most mysterious customer yet. 

Killua hums, a deep throat sound and squints his cat-like blue eyes in thought. “Well, even if I told you the truth, wouldn’t you still have to help me or would you refuse my service?” And this question isn’t said for entertainment’s sake. 

Gon is honest. “I’ve never refused service to anyone, Killua. That’s not really how that works, anyway.” He shakes his head, not remembering a single time he’s ever said no to someone who’s walked through the flower shop’s entrance.

Killua hums that same way again before shrugging both shoulders and sniffing, indignant. “I know I said these weren’t for my mother earlier, and technically that’s not a lie--they’re for both my parents.” 

Gon is left stunned.  _ Should he ask more? Should he  _ not  _ ask? It’s not necessarily his business anyway and it was likely inappropriate he asked in the first place but-- _

_ “ _ We don’t exactly have the best of relationships.” Blue eyes shift away from Gon, peering over at the swell of flowers in the shop around them and Killua’s pale, thimble fingers run through the silvery mass of hair atop his head. “They throw you into a boarding your whole life and then bring you back out only to force you into a life you don’t want. As if they’re doing you a favor.” He makes a sound with his mouth, like a  _ tch _ . “Instead of my presence on a day they’ve laid all out for me, what they’ll get instead is this bouquet.” 

And Gon doesn’t really understand the bitterness of Killua’s voice, doesn’t understand the ire in his eyes. He never even knew his own parents, only having Mito as his adoptive mother. But, he doesn’t have to understand, he only has to do his job. He empathizes and listens and tries to ascertain what they want to convey.  _ Stick it to the man, it is!  _

He nods, “I think I have a few others you might like. Yellow carnations can mean ‘you’ve disappointed me’.” 

He scavenges for the flower, knowing already the layout of the flower shop like the back of his hand. Gon spots the multi-layered yellow flowers near dendrobium orchids and adds them to the growing number of colorful flowers in hand. 

He turns, about to speak when a boom of laughter vibrates throughout the flower shop from behind him. 

Killua’s cheeks are flushed a rosy red, eyes shut and his hands wrapped around his jacket covered chest as he laughs. 

“K-Killua, sir?” 

He stops, wiping an errant tear from his eye, his laughter fading. “I think you’re the first person I’ve ever told the truth to that hasn’t laughed in my face or disbelieved me--while laughing in my face, actually.” 

Gon tilts his head to the side. “Well, you told the truth, didn’t you?”

“And what makes you sure of that?”

_ A hunch _ , Gon wants to say. He wants to say there’s a certain sincerity Killua has, even though he doesn’t know him personally. Over the years, working this kind of job, you learn to listen to people and develop a knack for reading them pretty well, too. He doesn’t, though. 

“Well, you came to the shop looking for help with a pretty suggestive bouquet and here I am.” Gon smiles, and he’s genuine about it. He doesn’t need to know more about Killua to do his job and make sure he’s another happy customer. Though, if he’s honest with himself it’s more than that.

Killua laughs, short and clipped but not in an irritated manner. He seems more surprised than anything else. “You’re a little weird, you know that, Gon?”

“Says the one who wants to send a heavily worded bouquet of flowers.” 

“Maybe.”

Gon sighs, knowing this was a job well done--no matter how unexpected. “I think we’ve got all the flowers we need, this will certainly be the most beautiful message they’ve received. Do you like it?”

Killua eyes the bouquet with wonder, eyes sparkling and lips parting in awe. “Th-this is pretty perfect, actually. This is fucking great, wow!” he laughs to himself before trailing off,  “Who knew…”

Gon smiles, this is what he always enjoyed so much about working in a flower shop. Even in the most uncomplimentary of situations, flowers could send what the customer wants to convey  _ and _ make them happy.  “Will that be all, Killua?”

Killua nods, emphatically. “Yeah, that’ll be good,” his eyes roam back to Gon and he smiles. “Thanks for your help.” 

“You can wait around the shop, I’ll cut these and get them ready for you.”

“Thanks.”

And the two part, Gon leaves Killua with a nod as he turns to walk into the staff room. There’s a table in the back room, chairs and a fridge along with a counter on the opposite side used specifically for anything flower related. Kurapika sits with a text book and papers strewn across the white table, they perk up when Gon enters. 

“Foxglove, geraniums, meadowsweet and..,” Kurapika eyes the bouquet in Gon’s hands and they balk. “Yellow carnations?! Gon, what--”

Gon shakes his head in a panic, Kurapika is equally well versed in the language of flowers since Gon always spoke about his findings before. “It’s obviously not my idea! It was a customer’s! He’s had a..” he trails off, trying to find an appropriate word for Killua’s situation. “disagreement with someone.”

Blonde eyebrows rise and Kurapika sighs, “That just seems like bad omen.”

“I am  _ only _ the salesman.”

“Says the giver of omens.”

“Hey!”

Kurapika snorts, ruffling their coworker and best friend just enough before they close their textbook and massage either side of their temple. “I was going to take a lunch, you want anything?” 

Gon walks around the table Kurapika was previously sitting at, resting the bouquet of flowers on the designated counter when he turns back, “Where will you be going?”

“Porto’s, down the street.” Kurapika says, untying the solid green apron from around their waist and pulling it over their head.

“Oh! Can you get me one of those mango desserts? And a sandwich!”

“Got it!” 

“I’ll pay you back, later.” 

Kurapika doesn’t miss a beat, back turned. “I’m paying today.”

“Kurapika, y--” Gon pauses his ministrations, knowing his best friend pays nearly every time they work a shift and get lunch together.  

“Nope! Sorry, I can suddenly no longer hear you. Perhaps I need to step out for a few moments.”

Gon snorts, rolling his eyes at his best friend’s tenacity before letting them go. They smile knowingly before stalking off. It’s a few more silent moments before he’s done, taking great care of stems and leaves. Even though the flowers would be given out of sheer spite, it didn’t mean they couldn’t look stunning while doing so. And while this was certainly the most insulting bouquet he’s ever made, it was also the most interesting.

He returns from the back, carrying the bundle with both hands to find Killua with his head tilted back, taking in all the wonder of Mito’s Flower Shop in near quiet astonishment. Gon wonders if maybe that’s what he looked like sometimes by himself when the beauty was too much to take. He almost didn’t want to interrupt deep blue eyes wandering with the sound of his voice. 

But he didn’t have to. Killua turned, likely seeing movement from his peripheral and shifting on his toes. His cheeks becoming a shade rosey when he realized he’d been caught gawking.

_ “ _ Your flowers are ready, Killua.”

“Thanks.” Killua says for the third time, shaking his bangs into his face and digging pale hands into deep pockets. “For your help, again. How much is this pushing me?” He fishes out a wallet, approaching Gon at the register. 

Gon calculated the costs on the new computer, tapping in the flowers and the prices springing up before him. The price was pretty hefty for the flowers. 

“Shit! Is that why no one bothers buying flowers, anymore? Too expensive? Capitalism is fucking wild.” Killua groans, shoving bills back into his wallet and opting for a credit card. 

Gon laughs,  _ if only Killua really knew how much business was booming _ . “Actually, we get busy most days. N-not today, of course. It’s raining and the weather’s poor, not a lot of people even want to leave their homes.”

“I don’t know why the hell I did.”

Gon laughs. And he realizes he likes it when Killua makes him laugh.

Gon clears his throat. 

“Uh, anyway. I hope your parents… Don’t enjoy the bouquet?” He wonders what the proper sentiment to send this bouquet off with is. He was certainly proud of his work but it was one of his most beautifully cruel. 

Killua smiles. “Me, too. Thanks.” 

“Mm! Have a good day!”

“You, too, Gon!” With that, Killua was off with a short wave. The door bell jingling above him one last time to signal his departure. 

And even though the day was rainy, even though the shop was overcrowding with every flower they had, Gon was certain about the state of the day.  _ Perfect _ . 

* * *

_"Oh, now are we_  
_becoming a little warm?_  
_Is it greedy to hope?_

_The cloudy moonlight_  
_behind which you’re hiding_  
_is softly illuminating you_  
_I’m in your dream_  
_and you’re in mine"_

_Fantastic Drugstore~ Before Sunrise_


End file.
